By Nangamso Mabindla
24 April 2006

IN an effort to reposition itself in Buffalo City and attract industrial investment, the East London Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) board has decided to rebrand the company.

To ensure that the process was inclusive, the board approached the private sector and other key stakeholders for their input. Speaking at the unveiling of the zone"s new logo and colours on Friday, 21 April, chief executive Simphiwe Kondlo said that in 2004 the IDZ undertook an audit of the brand perceptions the zone.

"The audit revealed that awareness of the IDZ programme and particularly ours here in East London was low at a national level. It also revealed that even though awareness is high locally, levels of trust and confidence are low."

Some of the key issues that were identified by the audit were that the IDZ foundation needed strengthening from the top, that processes needed to be defined within the programme first, and that the packaging and positioning of the programme needed to be improved.

"The audit also revealed that we needed to be more open and engaging with stakeholders and the general public, while being sensitive about the delicate and confidential nature of the negotiations that we hold with our potential investors," Kondlo added.

He said that by launching the brand the IDZ was making a statement of commitment to change and to communicating with its stakeholders and the general public. It was also demonstrating steps taken "to concretise the zone".

To show its commitment to interacting with key stakeholders and the general public, the IDZ would invite them to be investment brokers and agents. "We want to ensure quicker occupation by credible investors. We want businesses in particular to inform us about potential investors. And if we get that investor, the broker will receive commission according to the investment rating," Kondlo explained.

As a Department of Trade and Industry programme, the IDZ would also target small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). "We aim to maximise involvement of SMMEs in the zone. We aim to be a catalyst of sustainable economic development," he added.

However, since the zone was close to the coast and residential areas, it aimed to attract medium-sized clean industries. Looking into the future, Kondlo, who said that there was continued development of the zone, added that the IDZ would be making major announcements in May.

"We do not want to announce them [investments] individually. We want to put all of them in one basket and make a major announcement – and May is the month in which everything will be happening."